Introducing Contemporary Companions for Older Adults

Paradise Home Health Care is a licensed Nurse Registry in Broward and Palm Beach counties of South Florida.  We began in 2010 to introduce trained home health aides and certified nurse assistants to older adults who need “hands-on” help with personal care and fall prevention. Calls were received by the elder or typically a daughter or son who felt that help was needed due to illness, injury or a degenerative disease.

Now, instead of referring companion services out to someone else, we are excited to offer this amenity as our own service part of the continuum of care. The presenting concern may or may not be health related. Living alone, loss of a spouse or partner, or having given up driving may be reason enough to have a companion visit regularly during the week.

Many seniors who are overall independent and self-sufficient still experience loneliness, depression or anxiety.  They do not need help with personal care or even household chores but, still, something is missing.

Social isolation can cause depression and adversely affects both emotional well-being and physical health. Typically, aides are much younger and from different backgrounds from the people they work with.

Companions are meant to be more of a friend or buddy. Having a mature contemporary of your older loved one to spend time with them fosters a more equitable relationship.  Another senior or retiree shares a deeper level of comradery and understanding of what your parent goes through. They provide warmth and emotional support through similar life experiences.

Having someone to share a home-cooked meal, accompany to an appointment/errands and spend some time with will help elevate your elder’s mood and overall quality of life.

Fellow seniors can stimulate mental ability through:

~Engaging in conversation.

~Playing cards, games, doing puzzles.

~Reminiscing about past experiences.

~Do exercises or take walks together.

~Do some chores, cooking, shopping, laundry.

~Medication reminders.

~Sharing hobbies.

~Some companions will also help your loved one with their computer or smartphone.

~Pet care.

Companions experienced with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia conditions and behaviors can have a positive impact in the earlier stages of the disease.

A combination of an experienced caregiver for help with the Activities of Daily Living and a contemporary companion creates an excellent balance for meeting your family’s needs.

Like the caregivers/aides, all companions are screened with a level II background check; complete an application and an in-depth interview process. The utmost care and consideration are given to making the right match.